Setting Injectors properly.

[mgjParticipant @mgj]

I need some advice please.

 

How do I start and run an injector?. 

 

I have a water stop valve – OK open that and look for water coming out of the overflow. Then open the steam valve – how far?. I open it and the water stops. So is that it, or do I open the injector some more until steam starts to come out of the overflow?

 

The clacks are sound, and the injector is behind the firebox, behind insulation. It feels cool until you whack steam in there.

[mgjParticipant @mgj]

[wheeltapperParticipant @wheeltapper]

Hi

I’m no expert but seeing as no one else has answered I’ ll try.

as far as I know you seem to be doing it right, turn water on till it come from the overflow , whack the steam valve wide open and the water should stop overflowing, and yes, that is it I think.

 

then you check the water level gauge glass to see if the level is rising.

 

unfortunately there are so many little things that can stop these gadgets working.

 

for example; steam feed pipe to small a diameter, water feed ditto.

 

as I said, I’m no expert but it seems to me if you have water going in and steam going in they have to be going somewhere  and if they aren’t coming from the overflow……………………

 

hope this has helped somewhat. I’m surprised no one else helped with this. there must be loads of loco drivers out there.

 

cheers

Roy

 

[mgjParticipant @mgj]

Wheeltapper – thank you. I worked with that and it went fine. I think before  I was expecting a more rapid rise in the gauge glasses. – but it does go up.

[wheeltapperParticipant @wheeltapper]

Hi

I’m glad you got it working.

quite frankly I’m amazed, I know next to nothing about injectors except what I’ve read and I’ve never used one so I think it’s a case of the blind leading the blind

 

at least if I ever get to use one I now know that what I know works…………………I think????????

 

cheers

Roy

[mgjParticipant @mgj]

Roy – I think the idea is that you shouldn’t get too much steam out of the overflow.

 

If you put too much steam in there, you should theoretically get a back pressure. I’m fairly sure that one should put enough steam in to cause suction behind the cone. Then the acceleration through the cone, plus the drop in temperature increases pressure which is what allows it to go into the boiler. but one is looking at 2 sets of conditions – one in front of the cone, and one after it.

 

 

(PV/T)^gamma = a constant. or P1V1/T1  = P2V2/T2

 

 

 

[wheeltapperParticipant @wheeltapper]

Posted by meyrick griffith-jones on 23/01/2010 18:17:40:

 

snip 

(PV/T)^gamma = a constant. or P1V1/T1  = P2V2/T2

                                                                                          snip

 

what a pity, this thread was quite understandable and then you start speaking some obscure language

 

sorry but me no speekee higher math ( or lower math for that matter)

 

the main thing is , it works

 

cheers

the thick side of Roy

 

 

 

 

 

[mgjParticipant @mgj]

Sorry – but it means that everything on one side = everything on the other, provided you don’t get too much in the way of losses.

 

So if you up one, the other goes down to keep it in balance. (Just so there is no free lunch) ……..

 

I’ll see tomorrow if full steam is as good as just keeping it ticking over, because while i know the theory, the practise can be a little more obscure.

 

Speaking as a man who can get steam out of the suction pipe of a water lifter.

[Phil AshmanParticipant @philashman88468]

 

Meyrick,

 

Did you make the injector? I’m trying to decide whether to have a go, along the lines of the recent ME articles, or buy one in and save the (possibly wasted) time.

 

Phil

[mgjParticipant @mgj]

Bought it in – I’m not a teeny drills sort of person. Just one of the bog standard jobs from LSM.

 

I don’t think, looking at the drawings that they are all that difficult to make, just a bit fiddly, and if one can machine reamer/d-bits accurately they should work.

 

The advice I was given was to ensure that the injector is kept cool – ie not heated by the firebox, and to keep water supplies clean and cold. Doing it again, I would use a model aircraft line filter like the Crap Trap as a pickup in the tank. For what its worth.

 

Designed and built own water lifter, and that works fine!

Edited By meyrick griffith-jones on 25/01/2010 18:06:38

[Phil AshmanParticipant @philashman88468]

Only one or two reamers are needed for the ones described recently, so I think I’ll give it a go.  I asked the question because LBSC’s injectors were thought to be a bit hit or miss. I don’t know about the DE Lawrence ones described in the 70’s. (or  80’s).

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